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The fact that the two French concepts of Proche-Orient (Near East) and Moyen-Orient (Middle East) are often used interchangeably causes further confusion about an already complex, unstable region. While is probably impossible to enforce rules of usage, these could be better defined. This paper attempts to do that through a geohistoric analysis of the English concept of Middle East. The Middle East seems to be central to both the English and the French conceptual systems, a central toponym, which could be seen as a reflection of the geographically central position of the Middle East region in the Old World.